Pathfinder - Wizard Archetypes Breakdown

Disclaimer

I will use content from the core rules, but will intentionally omit any content not published
on the official Pathfinder SRD due to the
unmanageable volume of non-SRD content, and the wildly varying quality of non-SRD content.
If you would like me to write handbooks for specific content not published on the official
SRD, please email me and I will consider it on a case-by-case
basis. I will use the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build
handbooks. Also note that many colored items are also links to the Paizo SRD.

Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational.

Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances

Green: Good options.

Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character.

Temporary Note: Pathfinder Unchained and Occult Adventures were
both recently added to the SRD. I'm excited to explore them, and I am actively working
on adding their contents to my collection of handbooks. I appreciate your patience while
I make these changes.

Archetypes

Wizards have very few archetypes because they are more commonly defined
by their Arcane School, but archetypes provide another level of customization.

The Arcane Bomber looks at Fireball, and decides that the Alchemist's bombs
are better despite scaling half as fast, having the same maximum damage, have
half the area of effect, and a tiny fraction of the range.

Bomb (Su): As the Alchemist class ability, but
you get to pick the energy type. Hint: don't pick fire.

Spellblast Bombs (Su): You give up cantrips, which
are amazing, for the ability to give up spells (which are amazing) to add a very
small bonus to your attack and damage with bombs.

School of the Bomb: You give up four schools.
Four. And you don't get to select an actual school, so you don't get
any cool school powers. Instead you get bombs. Isn't that exciting?

The Exploiter Wizard merges the raw power of the Wizard with Arcanist Exploits's
and Arcane Reservoir. Both of these abilities are fantastic for any spellcaster, but
the Exploiter Wizard gets very few Exploits to play with.

Arcane Reservoir (Su): The ability to temporarily boost
your caster level and spell DC can be very powerful for a lot of spells.

Exploiter Exploit: You don't get nearly as many exploits
as an Arcanist, so be very careful about your selections. For help selecting exploits,
see my Arcanist
Exploits Breakdown. The Exploiter Wizard gets a total of 5 exploits (1, 5, 9, 14,
19), and never gets access to Greater Exploits.

The Scrollmaster is a very weird archetype. You can use scrolls as disposable
weapons and shields, and at level 10 you can use scrolls like you use staves.
The Scroll Shield ability gives you a way to get a relatively cheap shield
bonus to AC, and if you add the Defending ability to your scroll blade, you
can actually manage a decent AC on a wizard. You will always want to have the
Mending cantrip handy to keep from ruining your expensive scrolls. If you plan
to prestige class into Eldritch Knight, the Scrollmaster might offer you some
interesting options. Otherwise, you may find yourself hard pressed to make
use of the archetype's abilities.

Scroll Blade (Su): Right away things get weird. You
can wield a scroll as if it were a short sword. Hitting with the scroll deals
a point of damage to the scroll, which very quickly destroys it. So your
scrolls are very expensive disposable shortswords. Eventually you can drop the
enhancement bonus to give it reach or one of several weapon abilities. This
replaces Arcane bond, which is a fairly fantastic ability. Most Wizards won't
be running around with swords, and you aren't a Magus. If you insist on using
this, keep Mending prepared to repair your "weapons." Also note that this ability
doesn't scale past 5th level, which can make it useful for those planning to
multiclass into Eldritch Knight.

Scroll Shield (Su): Similar to scroll blade.
Only successful attacks against the wizard reduce the scrolls hit points, so
the better the scroll, the less likely it is to take damage. Even so, these
are very expensive disposable shields. If you keep Mending handy, you can
keep a scroll around for a good long time and get some much-need AC. Also note
that this ability doesn't scale past 5th level, which can make it useful for
those planning to multiclass into Eldritch Knight.

Improved Scroll Casting (Su): This is actually
pretty great. Similar to the "Staff-like Wand" arcane discovery, this allows
the wizard to use scrolls like a wand, thereby greatly improving the usefulness
of scrolls with caster-level dependent effects and scrolls which require a
saving throw.

The Spell Sage is helpful if you really need access to spells on another class's
spell list and don't have any other spellcasters in the party. However, if you need
to cover both Divine and Arcane spells, other classes like the Witch will get you a
better mix without such strict limitations.

Focused Spells (Su): This can dramatically improve the
effectiveness of a handful of spells per day.

Spell Study (Su): This grants you access to a huge
number of spells not normally available to the Wizard, but because they take so long
to cast you generally can't expect to use them in combat. Instead, focus on using
low-level buffs which sacrifice spell slots which you don't frequently use, and try
to use buffs with long durations. You can only use this a few times per day, so be
very thoughtful about what spells you intend to use this with.

This could have been called gunmage, but then a really cool name would be wasted
on a really disappointing archetype. To play this class, every turn you must ask
yourself if you should be firing a gun or casting a spell. 90% of the time, casting
a spell will be the answer. Arcane Gun lets you increase your attacks rolls and
DCs a bit for some spells, but you get very little else, and you have to sacrifice
4 schools of magic for a shiny toy.

Arcane Gun (Su): You can use guns to aim ranged spells
which require ranged attack rolls, as well as cones and lines. Adding the enhancement
bonus to the attack roll or DC makes these spells much more reliable. You need to
choose if you want to use two guns (two-weapon fighting) or one gun.

Gunsmith: You get the ability to craft and repair firearms,
and you start with a broken gun just like a gunslinger.

Mage Bullets (Su): You give up cantrips for the ability
to add some weapon enhancements to your gun on the fly, and you have to sacrifice spells.
The list of abilities is pretty nice, and the duration is respectable, but you have to
give up spells to do it, and you have to spend time shooting things to use the abilities.

School of the Gun: You give up 4 schools in exchange for a
shiny toy and some cute tricks.

The Spirit Whisperer introduces Shaman Spirits to the Wizard. Shaman Spirits are a
very interesting mechanic, but they introduce a depended on Charisma to the Wizard,
which is otherwise a very SAD class. The Spirit Whisperer doesn't get all of the
abilities provided by the Shaman Spirit, and gets at most 3 Hexes.

Spirit Link (Su): For some reason you never gain the
"True Spirit" ability of your chosen Spirit. Many Spirit abilities depend on Charisma,
which is a dump stat for Wizards. For help selecting a Shaman Spirit, see my
Shaman Spirit
Breakdown.

Spirit Hex: The Spirit Whisperer can get at most 3
hexes, which severely limits your options. Many Shaman Hexes also depend on Charisma.